Stephen A. Smith is a schmuck

by BigBlueShoe on Dec 4, 2007 7:01 PM EST in Bad Journalism

When all else fails, when times are tough, when everything seems to go against you... blame bloggers.

That's the motto of ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, another stellar contributor to the Worldwide Leader of Schmucks who seems to blame all the problems confronting the national media on blogs:

"And when you look at the internet business, what's dangerous about it is that people who are clearly unqualified get to disseminate their piece to the masses. I respect the journalism industry, and the fact of the matter is ...someone with no training should not be allowed to have any kind of format whatsoever to disseminate to the masses to the level which they can. They are not trained. Not experts. [...]

"Therefore, there's a total disregard, a level of wrecklessness that ends up being a domino effect. And the people who suffer are the common viewers out there and, more importantly, those in the industry who haven't been fortunate to get a radio or television deal and only rely on the written word. And now they've been sabotaged. Not because of me. Or like me. But because of the industry or the world has allowed the average joe to resemble a professional without any credentials whatsoever."

Yep, that's right folks. Guys like me, sitting here in my underwear with a Pap's in one hand and my mouse in another, have sabotaged the careers of those sports journalists less fortunate to have radio shows or TV spots. We're untrained, undisciplined, unintelligent little people, and we should just all stop what were doing and let people like Stephen A. Smith tell us what is or isn't important in sports, and who is or isn't good. Because a calm, rational, informed man like Stephen A. Smith is best to declare for us peons what is important:

Or, we can just tell Stephen A. Smith to f&*k off, read the Constitution, and maybe (occasionally) watch a game once and a while so he can seem at least semi-intelligent when he's discussing the world of sports.

Disseminate by boys on your face, Stephen.

0 recs | Comment 13 comments

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Comments

Stephen A Smith

You really are unqualified to disseminate information, I haven't read one single thing where you have blamed it on race. That is what he seems to do almost all the time. Some people take their profession way to seriously (namely Stephen A. Smith). Does anybody know what the A stands for.

by Blueisgood on Dec 4, 2007 7:31 PM EST 0 recs

Yes

We know what the "A" stands for. And you do to. :)

Please make an account and post a diary, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.

by BigBlueShoe on Dec 4, 2007 8:12 PM EST up 0 recs

Yes, f&*k off

What a very ignorant and self-important thing to say.

It seems that he is not aware that there are tens of thousands of bloggers that each have considerably more expertise in the subjects that they write about than do 99.9% of journalists put together.

Suggesting that readers are not capable of deciding which writers have quality content and which put out nothing but dreck all on their own without Mr. Smith's stamp of approval, beh!

by wsexson on Dec 4, 2007 8:51 PM EST 0 recs

the funny thing is that Smith is correct

a player should be judged on what he's doing now, not his whole career. Save that for HOF considerations after they're done playing.

by Terry on Dec 4, 2007 8:58 PM EST 0 recs

Well...

I never talk politics here, but I don't trust the "experts" in journalism anymore. Time and time again these "experts" in journalism have been dead wrong when it comes to responsible informing the public in this country as it pertains to both politics and sports. I will throw my lot in with the people any day of the week. Blowhards like Stephen A. Smith can take their opinions to the sweet waters of the River Denial!

BTW this is the same Smith who said that the Kobe Bryan and Karl Malone LA Lakers were going to be the best team of all time!

by MasterRWayne on Dec 4, 2007 9:15 PM EST 0 recs

Quite Frankly, I think you're all confused

We're talking about Stephen A. Smith, everything he says is important:

Bullets Forever: Blogging with Phenomenal Swag!

by JakeTheSnake on Dec 4, 2007 10:59 PM EST 0 recs

Blogging

Blogging is just an evolution of journalism. In an era where good journalism of often clouded by concerns from advertisers and politics, it makes sense to have independent journalists that aren't beholden to special interests. That, in a nutshell, is what blogging is.

Well, more accurately, this is blogging in a nutshell: "Help! I'm a nutshell! Somewhere, someone wants to read about what it's like to be in this nutshell! Someone get me a laptop and roll me to a Starbucks!"

Also, Stephen A. Smith is an idiot. Just thought I'd share.

"Hey, if you want me to come here, I want to come here. But if you don't, I'm going to beat your butt for 15 years playing in the AFC." -Peyton Manning-

by MonkeyBusiness on Dec 5, 2007 1:12 AM EST 0 recs

How about...

censoring the professional journalist writer that can't spell.

It's "recklessness", not "wrecklessness" Stephen.

What he says insinuates that we, the huddled masses, accept and believe everything we read. We have no ability to process what we read and seperate the drivel from the intelligent.

I think this thread proves him wrong. It also makes me want to beat the shit out of him.

by will on Dec 5, 2007 4:48 AM EST 0 recs

arrogance

this is about arrogance thinking he knows what no one else does, and insecurity because there are a lot of bloggers out there who do a better job and he can't compete... who needs to pay a schmuck for commentary when we can watch the same thing and come to our own conclusions.

it is REALLY insulting that he thinks we shouldn't read a blog... and we can agree or disagree online as we please...

by bluegirl on Dec 5, 2007 10:03 AM EST 0 recs

No freedom of speech then?

I believe his employers need to take responsibility for such reckless comments. The guy is basically saying that the most basic freedoms of the people of this country are wrong and should not be upheld. I say have him fired!

by eurocoltsfan on Dec 5, 2007 10:52 AM EST 0 recs

I say

We turn all of these SOB's off and then watch with glee as they bag our groceries a few years from now.

by MasterRWayne on Dec 5, 2007 11:06 AM EST 0 recs

Dead on

You are so right about this.
The thing to remember is that every word that he, and any other 'journalist', utters on TV is written by someone else. Stephen A. Smith is just an actor, more than anything. The condescention of 'the talent' towards real people is astounding, considering they just wear makeup and read words like a monkey.

This is merely another example of powerful politico-news media that is terrified by information outlets they have no control over; and every day 'new media' becomes more credible than theirs in the eyes of REAL America.

Whats the difference between this rhetoric towards their continuance of absolute power, and selective wealth redistribution measures that preserve legacy (pre-tax era) fortunes while any new, earned wealth is taken and penalized so it will never be amassed? Nothing.

by WhoaWhoaRobertMathis on Dec 5, 2007 5:52 PM EST up 0 recs

and that is what he is afraid of

if fans start blogging and reading each others comments and talking.. who needs the talking heads... i used to be a big pregame show fan... but now with all the online stuff (and ESPN's patriot nut sucking) i have given up on the talking heads. i watch the nfl network and that is about it... maybe the last 10 minutes of whoever is showing our game I'll tune into the commentary so i don't miss kickoff.

without a captive audience he has nothing to talk about, and we are turning them off and going online

by bluegirl on Dec 5, 2007 1:57 PM EST 0 recs